Urban Bar: Sake Martini
To the purist, there is no cocktail more disrepected than the martini. And they have a point: a martini's execution is the barometer by which a mixologist's skill level is measured, as that individual coaxes the complexities from the gin by facilitating its interaction with the vermouth. This level of exaltation is possible due to the pristine qualities of those spirits: crisp gin, with its nearly infinite dimensions of herbal notes, layers flawlessly with the rich but delicate character of dry vermouth. There is no room in this sacred arena for appletinis, chocolate martinis, mintinis, cherry martinis, green tea martinis (I'm not kidding), and so forth.
Let's be as clear as gin: a martini is made with gin and vermouth. Beyond gin and vermouth, the only additional ingredients are olives, ice for chilling the glass though not filling it, and savoir faire. For the rambunctious martini maker, there is ample room for self-expression by playing with the ratio of gin to vermouth, with which radicals can go from a amicable "half and half" to a gutsy "no need to do anything more than open the vermouth in the same room."
Having written all of that, and meant every word, I can now confess that I do cavort upon the fringes of martini acceptability. I still cannot abide the sweet ones (Chocolate syrup? Really?) but there are a few composed martinis that I enjoy. One such is the sake martini, which is so faux that not only is it not a martini but it is virtually unheard of in Japan, except in bars with an American clientele.
Nonetheless, when well executed, a sake martini can be compelling. Building one is really no more than a matter of replacing the vermouth in a true martini with sake. But oh what a difference that step makes. Refined, silken sake is a noble and startlingly appropriate partner for gin, lending a well-built sake martini a sophistication that perfectly respects the martini's high tone while contributing something of a life-of-the-party note. Here is my recipe for a shaker of clean sake martinis. Serve as a featured cocktail at your next gathering, or as a palate-awakening first course to a dinner of salmon teriyaki and steamed rice.
SAKE MARTINI
Sake is characterized first by by the milling ratio of the polished rice used to brew the sake and then by the liquid used to brew the sake. This recipe uses Junmai sake, an easy sake to locate in America. Junmai sake is made of rice whose grains have been polished 30 percent, and water. Junmai ginjo (40 percent polish, water) and Junmai dai ginjo (50 percent polish, water) would also work for this cocktail. The Junmai sake I like for this cocktail is Hitorimusume "Sayaka," but any dry Junmai sake will do.
Two shots gin (I like New Amsterdam)
One shot Junmai sake
One lime, preferably organic
One cucumber, preferably organic
Ice
1. Ice down two martini glasses. Place ice in the well of each glass and fill with cold water. Set aside.
2. Clean and dry the cucumber. Use a small sharp knife to cut two disks from the cucumber about 1/8" thick. Refrigerate until ready to serve the martinis.
3. Clean and dry the lime. Use a zester or small paring knife to exise a strip of peel about one inch in length.
4. Empty the ice water from the martini glasses and set the glasses in the freezer.
5. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure the gin and sake into the shaker. Add the lime peel to the shaker.
6. Place the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously -- up and down, not side to side -- until the top of the shaker is too cold to touch.
7. Decant martini into iced glasses. Place an iced cucumber slice atop each cocktail. Serve.
Let's be as clear as gin: a martini is made with gin and vermouth. Beyond gin and vermouth, the only additional ingredients are olives, ice for chilling the glass though not filling it, and savoir faire. For the rambunctious martini maker, there is ample room for self-expression by playing with the ratio of gin to vermouth, with which radicals can go from a amicable "half and half" to a gutsy "no need to do anything more than open the vermouth in the same room."
Having written all of that, and meant every word, I can now confess that I do cavort upon the fringes of martini acceptability. I still cannot abide the sweet ones (Chocolate syrup? Really?) but there are a few composed martinis that I enjoy. One such is the sake martini, which is so faux that not only is it not a martini but it is virtually unheard of in Japan, except in bars with an American clientele.
Nonetheless, when well executed, a sake martini can be compelling. Building one is really no more than a matter of replacing the vermouth in a true martini with sake. But oh what a difference that step makes. Refined, silken sake is a noble and startlingly appropriate partner for gin, lending a well-built sake martini a sophistication that perfectly respects the martini's high tone while contributing something of a life-of-the-party note. Here is my recipe for a shaker of clean sake martinis. Serve as a featured cocktail at your next gathering, or as a palate-awakening first course to a dinner of salmon teriyaki and steamed rice.
SAKE MARTINI
Sake is characterized first by by the milling ratio of the polished rice used to brew the sake and then by the liquid used to brew the sake. This recipe uses Junmai sake, an easy sake to locate in America. Junmai sake is made of rice whose grains have been polished 30 percent, and water. Junmai ginjo (40 percent polish, water) and Junmai dai ginjo (50 percent polish, water) would also work for this cocktail. The Junmai sake I like for this cocktail is Hitorimusume "Sayaka," but any dry Junmai sake will do.
Two shots gin (I like New Amsterdam)
One shot Junmai sake
One lime, preferably organic
One cucumber, preferably organic
Ice
1. Ice down two martini glasses. Place ice in the well of each glass and fill with cold water. Set aside.
2. Clean and dry the cucumber. Use a small sharp knife to cut two disks from the cucumber about 1/8" thick. Refrigerate until ready to serve the martinis.
3. Clean and dry the lime. Use a zester or small paring knife to exise a strip of peel about one inch in length.
4. Empty the ice water from the martini glasses and set the glasses in the freezer.
5. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure the gin and sake into the shaker. Add the lime peel to the shaker.
6. Place the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously -- up and down, not side to side -- until the top of the shaker is too cold to touch.
7. Decant martini into iced glasses. Place an iced cucumber slice atop each cocktail. Serve.
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